Title: Executive Director
Company: AccentCare
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Education: Doctor of Philosophy – PhD, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Capella University (2009-2015);
Master’s degree, Psychology, Eastern New Mexico University
Career History: Executive Director, AccentCare, Las Vegas, Nevada (2021-Present);
Regional Executive Director, Genesis, Albuquerque, New Mexico (2014-2021);
Operational Specialist, Brookdale (2010-2015);
Director, Probation Parole, Corrections Department
Dr. Jennifer R. Riggs, Executive Director at AccentCare, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of health care.
A veteran of the U.S. Army, having served as an E-4 specialist from 1993 to 1998, Dr. Riggs worked in law enforcement as the director of probation parole at a corrections department before switching gears and landing a job at an assisted living facility in 2010. Serving as an operational specialist at Brookdale Senior Living for five years, she became increasingly immersed in the medical and hospice field and quickly developed a love for it, as well as helping other people through health issues. Though she had never previously considered a career in the health care industry, that all changed. She became the regional executive director of Genesis HealthCare in Albuquerque, where she excelled from 2014 to 2021; in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she proudly operated the first COVID skilled nursing facility in the state. Since 2021, she has served as the executive director of AccentCare—a renowned hospice based in Las Vegas, Nevada that acts as a national leader in personal care for its clients.
In her position, Dr. Riggs takes great pride in being a compassionate and hands-on management professional whose overall success can be attributed to her drive and desire to learn everything. With a background in operations, training, financial management, communications, and compliance within the fields of nursing and senior living facilities, her leadership has greatly contributed to the stellar reputation that AccentCare has maintained. On a given day, her myriad responsibilities include supervising all operations for the hospice; reviewing the financial aspect and handling a lot of business development; meeting with new clientele; working with patients in their homes; ensuring that their services are the best in the area; overseeing the clinical team and the nurses; and culture building within the team. In recognition of her work, she was honored among the 2022 Health Care Headliners by Vegas Inc.
Outside of her primary role, Dr. Riggs teaches sociology and criminal justice at Eastern New Mexico University and is a devoted member of the American Legion. She previously received the accolades of Administrator of the Year by the New Mexico Health Care Association in 2017 and Employee of the Year by the Probation Parole Department in 2006. In preparation for her outstanding career, she obtained a master’s degree in psychology from Eastern New Mexico University and—in the midst of her professional journey—earned a Doctor of Philosophy in industrial and organizational psychology at Capella University in 2015. Within the next five years, Dr. Riggs wants to learn more about the hospice industry and make a difference by educating people about the services they can offer.